He said the BSA has had a tradition that has built good citizens since it was founded.

“I think they should have left the same bylaws,” Wahl said. “I think they should have kept well enough alone.”

However, he is pleased the BSA is letting individual troops and sponsors make the decision.

He said he is optimistic Troop 457 will keep the same bylaws that it always had.

Gary Foster, a former scoutmaster for Troop 399 in Evans City, said he recognizes the world is moving toward greater acceptance of gays. However, that does not mean the BSA should change its policy, he said.

“It’s not scriptural. I’m not really for it, at all,” Foster said.

A lifelong scout who became an Eagle Scout in 1953, Foster was the scoutmaster for the troop for 25 years between the 1960s and 1980s.

He said the bylaws banning gay members and leaders are important to the tenets of scouting.

Tennent said the scouts are having an “open dialogue” about the gay issue to see how it affects scout districts, councils and troops.

Tennent said scout officials have set up a Voice of the Scout survey, which seeks feedback about how scouting supports troops, camps, volunteers and other activities.

In that survey a number of people have complained about the scout policy on gays. Because of that, Tennent said, the national leaders want a discussion on this policy.